Hierarchical biota-level and taxonomic controls on the chemistry of fossil melanosomes revealed using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence

Abstract Fossil melanosomes, micron-sized granules rich in melanin in vivo, provide key information for investigations of the original coloration, taxonomy and internal anatomy of fossil vertebrates. Such studies rely, in part, on analysis of the inorganic chemistry of preserved melanosomes and an u...

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Autores principales:	Valentina Rossi, Samuel M. Webb, Maria E. McNamara
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2020
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/bbd9503468144e7688af3b183f4f862e
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:bbd9503468144e7688af3b183f4f862e2021-12-02T15:03:05ZHierarchical biota-level and taxonomic controls on the chemistry of fossil melanosomes revealed using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence10.1038/s41598-020-65868-32045-2322https://doaj.org/article/bbd9503468144e7688af3b183f4f862e2020-06-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-65868-3https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Fossil melanosomes, micron-sized granules rich in melanin in vivo, provide key information for investigations of the original coloration, taxonomy and internal anatomy of fossil vertebrates. Such studies rely, in part, on analysis of the inorganic chemistry of preserved melanosomes and an understanding of melanosome chemical taphonomy. The extent to which the preserved chemistry of fossil melanosomes is biased by biotic and abiotic factors is, however, unknown. Here we report the discovery of hierarchical controls on the inorganic chemistry of melanosomes from fossil vertebrates from nine biotas. The chemical data are dominated by a strong biota-level signal, indicating that the primary taphonomic control is the diagenetic history of the host sediment. This extrinsic control is superimposed by a biological, tissue-level control; tissue-specific chemical variation is most likely to survive in fossils where the inorganic chemistry of preserved melanosomes is distinct from that of the host sediment. Comparative analysis of our data for fossil and modern amphibians reveals that most fossil specimens show tissue-specific melanosome chemistries that differ from those of extant analogues, strongly suggesting alteration of original melanosome chemistry. Collectively, these findings form a predictive tool for the identification of fossil deposits with well-preserved melanosomes amenable to studies of fossil colour and anatomy.Valentina RossiSamuel M. WebbMaria E. McNamaraNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 1-10 (2020)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Valentina Rossi Samuel M. Webb Maria E. McNamara Hierarchical biota-level and taxonomic controls on the chemistry of fossil melanosomes revealed using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence
description	Abstract Fossil melanosomes, micron-sized granules rich in melanin in vivo, provide key information for investigations of the original coloration, taxonomy and internal anatomy of fossil vertebrates. Such studies rely, in part, on analysis of the inorganic chemistry of preserved melanosomes and an understanding of melanosome chemical taphonomy. The extent to which the preserved chemistry of fossil melanosomes is biased by biotic and abiotic factors is, however, unknown. Here we report the discovery of hierarchical controls on the inorganic chemistry of melanosomes from fossil vertebrates from nine biotas. The chemical data are dominated by a strong biota-level signal, indicating that the primary taphonomic control is the diagenetic history of the host sediment. This extrinsic control is superimposed by a biological, tissue-level control; tissue-specific chemical variation is most likely to survive in fossils where the inorganic chemistry of preserved melanosomes is distinct from that of the host sediment. Comparative analysis of our data for fossil and modern amphibians reveals that most fossil specimens show tissue-specific melanosome chemistries that differ from those of extant analogues, strongly suggesting alteration of original melanosome chemistry. Collectively, these findings form a predictive tool for the identification of fossil deposits with well-preserved melanosomes amenable to studies of fossil colour and anatomy.
format	article
author	Valentina Rossi Samuel M. Webb Maria E. McNamara
author_facet	Valentina Rossi Samuel M. Webb Maria E. McNamara
author_sort	Valentina Rossi
title	Hierarchical biota-level and taxonomic controls on the chemistry of fossil melanosomes revealed using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence
title_short	Hierarchical biota-level and taxonomic controls on the chemistry of fossil melanosomes revealed using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence
title_full	Hierarchical biota-level and taxonomic controls on the chemistry of fossil melanosomes revealed using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence
title_fullStr	Hierarchical biota-level and taxonomic controls on the chemistry of fossil melanosomes revealed using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence
title_full_unstemmed	Hierarchical biota-level and taxonomic controls on the chemistry of fossil melanosomes revealed using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence
title_sort	hierarchical biota-level and taxonomic controls on the chemistry of fossil melanosomes revealed using synchrotron x-ray fluorescence
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2020
url	https://doaj.org/article/bbd9503468144e7688af3b183f4f862e
work_keys_str_mv	AT valentinarossi hierarchicalbiotalevelandtaxonomiccontrolsonthechemistryoffossilmelanosomesrevealedusingsynchrotronxrayfluorescence AT samuelmwebb hierarchicalbiotalevelandtaxonomiccontrolsonthechemistryoffossilmelanosomesrevealedusingsynchrotronxrayfluorescence AT mariaemcnamara hierarchicalbiotalevelandtaxonomiccontrolsonthechemistryoffossilmelanosomesrevealedusingsynchrotronxrayfluorescence
_version_	1718389100490260480

Hierarchical biota-level and taxonomic controls on the chemistry of fossil melanosomes revealed using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence

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